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Jenny Yuen, QMI Agency

Jun 26, 2014

, Last Updated: 6:38 AM ET

TORONTO -- A 58-year-old Whitby, Ont., man faces criminal charges after his wife suffered a stroke but wasn't brought to hospital until she had lost almost half her body weight and was unable to speak or walk properly, police alleged Wednesday.

The 62-year-old woman was brought to a local hospital June 3 in "destitute" condition and hospital staff called Durham Regional Police.

"The (circumstances) is evidence that will be before the courts and it's just a situation where she was in a medical need at one point and he didn't respond to that," Sgt. Bill Calder said.

It is believed the stroke took place before she arrived in hospital, Calder said, but couldn't specify when.

Investigators also learned of an alleged assault in February 2013 in which the woman received medical treatment, police said

The couple had been married for decades and she had been living at home with her husband while her health deteriorated and she lost roughly 40% of her body weight, Calder said.

"I'm not sure what her status (of speaking) is now, but her recovery is going to be a long one," he said.